observations, comments, findings—factual and fictional— beliefs, and thoughts about the world and its creatures started and maintained as a way to keep amuse and possibly edify the world's pilgrims on their journey to we know not where

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Bushbucking Katrina

With these Bushbuckers the pattern of dereliction of duty is so clear, it is painful to contemplate. The latest example is news that the White House was warned days in advance in detail of Katrina's potential for destroying New Orleans--and did nothing. Joby Warrick of the Washington Post tells it all in today's edition--a FEMA presentation two days before the storm hit, anticipating a breach of the levees, and a Department of Homeland Security National Infrastructure Simulation and Assessment Center pre-storm assessment of damage that was delivered to the White House shortly after 1 a.m., August 29, the day the storm hit New Orleans and the Gulf coast. Both were spot on in terms of the catastrophe. FEMA laid the ground work for more evacuation and quicker response. The NISAC white paper should have set in train emergency response teams. But nothing was done, and after the fact, the Bushy, who had been vacationing, lied repeatedly in saying that no one could have anticipated the devastation.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it? Bushy is on vacation when a dire warning is issued to him and his minions of an impending catastrophe. The warning is ignored. The event occurs much as predicted. The Bushy is temporarily paralyzed with fear and incompetence. Then he presents himself as a great leader while proclaiming that no one knew or could have anticipated the tragedy. Choose the year: 2001 or 2004.